Guys, please help me. I have the Blekko virus, which is some kind of search hijacker. I got it, ironically enough, from Cnet's download of the Revo uninstaller. I've run Malwarebytes and Avast. I've done a system restore back to 5/31 (just got virus today). Though for sure everything was ok but no, it's still there. I've googled it (you wouldn't believe how hard it was just to GET to Google) but I'm paranoid now that any cure I find will be some other evil thing. I trust you guys.

Here's the Wikipedia talk page about Blekko. The article itself is supposedly a normal article about Blekko, an alternative to Google, but the talk page is all one guy saying "How come my edits keep getting reverted when I've said that Blekko is malware?" and the other guy going "how dare you malign Blekko! You can't point to a single peer-reviewed journal article that says Blekko is a virus! All your anecdotal evidence showing that people have had Blekko downloaded without their knowledge through CNet is unsubstantiated! This is completely against the rules of Wikipedia!"

Anyway, I set the default search engine back to Google and "x"ed Blekko off of the list. Is that enough?

You might want to check the HOSTS file (Windows/system32/drivers/etc/HOSTS) It can be opened in notepad. If it has a bunch of entries you didn't make you can reset it to the Windows defaults. Instructions for doing that can be found here. I'm not sure if that is a complete solution but it is the most basic way something might be hijacking your requests. If you or an administrator of the system have edited the file for whatever reasons those changes will be lost so make a backup of it if you aren't sure.

There's a considerable amount of contradictory information about Blekko. However, most of the sites I found which claimed that it's a virus are written in suspiciously broken English. My best guess is that it's some sort of overly-aggressive but semi-legitimate program, rather than actual malware.

My best guess is that it's some sort of overly-aggressive but semi-legitimate program, rather than actual malware.

IAAComputer Tech

Blekko search is a legit, but spread via a scummy method. They are paying C-net to bundle this. Lots of things including acrobat reader (mcaffee scan and chrome), java (ask toolbar) are doing this kind of thing.

This will clear all user customizations to the browser including most toolbars

Also going to settings ---> general ---> button marked settings under search ---. select blekko if present and near the lower right corner hit the button marked delete to remove is from search options.

If for some reason its still not letting go contact me, I will set up a remote session and pull it out, no charge if limited to blekko removal only

Blekko search is a legit, but spread via a scummy method. They are paying C-net to bundle this. Lots of things including acrobat reader (mcaffee scan and chrome), java (ask toolbar) are doing this kind of thing.

This will clear all user customizations to the browser including most toolbars

Also going to settings ---> general ---> button marked settings under search ---. select blekko if present and near the lower right corner hit the button marked delete to remove is from search options.

If for some reason its still not letting go contact me, I will set up a remote session and pull it out, no charge if limited to blekko removal only

I just wanted to say publicly what a great thing to do for the Dopers. You shall always remain at top of my list for any time I need (more) PC stuff/info (!!!).

I learned a short while back, (from BigT, iirc?) that CNET had 'bundled' this kind of crap into its regular downloads, and I have not even gone to that site since. Calling it scummy, imho, is an understatement